The Atoner
by ShelbyJohnson
Summary: Erandur's "Waking Nightmare", simplified into 100 or so lines in Iambic Pentameter.


_**[A/N: We had to write an "epic poem" in Iambic Pentameter, and dear Erandur's story is ripe with poetic potential. I, however, am not a poet, so I apologize for its awkwardness. Still got an A though. Hah. The warrior companion is a generic dragonborn, kept vague for the purpose of simplicity. Enjoy.]**_

The priest, he watched the blood drip off his mace

Reflecting the tears that dripped off his face

Another victim down and more to come

He prayed the pain in his heart would just numb

For a lifetime of sins he must atone

And destroy the seeds of evil he'd sown.

They walk through the cloudy halls of his past

Against the waking souls they must outlast

For every bone of cultists that they break

Relieves innocents of their dreaming ache

Among them Erandur may once have been

But to betray them is why he's here again

Vaermina demands that they terrorize

For power, anyone they'd brutalize

Destroy the artifact of evil here

to banish the demon residing near

No longer was she Era's puppeteer

The Goddess of Love now he did hold dear.

A call of his name tore him from his thought

By a barrier they seemed to be caught

A warrior, for him had sympathy

And offered her sword to help his journey

"A detour then we must take" said the priest

"Though the dangers we face are not the least

For the power that they claim with the Skull

Allows to, with ease, their enemies cull

And while for my former brethren I may

Weep with grief, my weapon I will not stay."

Into the bowels they made their descent

Weapons poised for those with murd'rous intent

"In the name of Prince Vaermina," a cry,

The swing of a sword, the blink of an eye,

and the Lord of Dreams allows them to die

Another of his siblings torn apart,

Another stone of burden on his heart

They turned another corner and they saw

The source of his troubles and coup d'etat

"At last, my dear companion, we are here

Not much longer, then, must we persevere"

The moment Erandur had spoke to her

two figures rose, their intent to deter

the actions of the priest, the saboteur

"Casimir!" called the first to our changed man

"Betrayer, I'll let you leave while you can"

But Erandur, once Casimir, still stood,

'gainst those he'd held closest in brotherhood

"Veren, Thorek, please stand out of our way,

I've had enough of spilling blood today

So many years since I abandoned you

and my list of regrets have only grew

But there is nothing that I regret more,

than leaving intact that wretched eyesore

For I have seen the light! Been turned around!

To that evil I am no longer bound!

I am Erandur now, priest of Mara

Now move, so I may destroy that damned skull!"

But their dedication did not waver,

their brother fallen out of their favor

'To the Prince of Nightmares do we belong

our loyalty to her will make us strong'

Repeating this to themselves as they fought,

to have a swift defeat, they'd never thought

The aged Atoner and his warrior friend

helped them meet a swift and violent end.

Erandur had no time to mourn for them,

he had to put an end to this mayhem

Each step over body and stair he took

was a struggle for how hard that he shook

To destroy the symbol of all his sin

was the beginning of his redemption

"Lady Mara, I call upon you now

Banish this evil, I beg you, show me how!

Vaermina's hand, the Skull of Corruption

dream-bringer, unholy leech of mem'ry

I cast to Oblivion, by your grace,

and her influence on Nirn be erased!"

Readying his hands, he felt something stir

A nagging thought, against his ear a purr

Familiar like a reoccurring haunt,

Her presence a problem he didn't want

The warrior, her eyes gone cold, she turned,

Focusing on his hand where a spell burned

"The Lord of Nightmares has whispered to me,

She won't be banished, the skull must be free

I'm sorry, Erandur, my companion,

I have been chosen as her champion."

A choking fear rose in his narrow throat

Causing his voice to hit a higher note

"I say, I do not seek to patronize,

Just look into this aging Dunmer's eyes

While denying me any sort of peace

and from my pained conscience a sweet release."

And look into his eyes the warrior did,

as into his stomach her weapon slid

The symbol of his guilt she took in hand,

the evil power now hers to command.

Erandur watched her from the cold stone floor

while she turned from him and walked out the door.

As hot life-blood drained from his ashen face

he prepared himself for Arkay's embrace

"Mara forgive me my great failure here,

to die when redemption was oh so near

In your benevolence, my life I trust

but banish my tainted soul if you must

For nothing but shame fills my dying heart,

that unatoned I must this world depart."


End file.
